Harry Potter trivia

What's the name of Albus Dumbledore's phoenix?
Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe and his alter ego was born in the same month. Which month is it?
Which Hogwarts house does Harry call home?
What is the shared occupation of Hermione's parents?
How is Draco Malfroy related to Sirius Black?
Do you know the answer to all these questions? I've watched all the five movies in the Harry Potter series, from the Sorcerer's Stone to the most recent Order of the Phoenix. However, I'm hopeless when it comes to remembering facts of Harry Potter. Of these five questions above, I could only answer two. Do you consider yourself an expert on Harry Potter? If so, challenge yourself to these Harry Potter quizzes on Quibblo Fun Quizzes. Besides taking part in quizzes from a wide range of topics, you can also create your own quizzes and share them with your friends online. There's even a comment/discussion forum on each topic, where you can debate the merits of your favorite quizzes with other users.

I struck gold!

There were several pieces of mails in the mailbox when I returned from work yesterday. Among the stack of mails which included bills for Astro, hubby's mobile phone, etc was a mail from Enrich. I didn't think much of it as I assumed it was just my quarterly statement.

After dinner, I sorted out the mail and the words on the envelope of the Enrich mail struck me.

The crumpled envelope. I only remembered to take a photo of this as an afterthought.

I am holding an Enrich Silver card and was thinking to myself, "This can't be…I couldn't possibly have qualified for Enrich Gold". I quickly opened the mail, and voila, true enough, I've been upgraded to Enrich Gold. I was grinning from ear to ear, as it was indeed an extremely pleasant surprise.

My golden surprise

My company has this policy that if our flight time exceeds six hours, we are entitled to fly Business Class. And whenever I fly Business on Malaysia Airlines, I always look forward to the Golden Lounge. Malaysia Airlines indeed has one of the best lounges in the world. The variety of food and beverages on offer is unmatched by most other airline lounges. This year, I flew to Seoul, Orlando and Amsterdam on Business Class so I guess I fulfilled the required airline miles to be upgraded to Gold.

And now with my Enrich Gold card, I have access to the Golden Lounge, even when I fly Economy. And that's indeed golden music to my ears.

Re-establishing my fitness routine

I used to be a member of Fitness First. I was a regular at the gym, being there 2-3 times a week and each time, I spend at least two hours working out. I always looked forward to the days when two of my favourite classes, Body Pump and Body Combat, were scheduled back-to-back. I used to be quite obsessed with attending these classes, so much so that if I missed them, I'd be really upset.

I stopped going to Fitness First when I was pregnant with Yiu Yiu. Even though people told me that it's perfectly safe to continue my fitness routine, only at a lower level of intensity, I backed out as I didn't dare take any risk, that being my first pregnancy. Hubby and I were still staying in an apartment then and I switched to swimming instead, as my regular exercise.

After I came back from maternity leave, I couldn't hit the gym circuit again as I was breastfeeding and each day after work, I had to rush home to express milk and nurse Yiu Yiu. My fitness level has pretty much gone down the drain and after I stopped expressing, the pounds started to pile. At one point, many of my clothes which I could wear after I came back from maternity (thanks to the miracle of breastfeeding) no longer fit me.

Early this year, we were informed that my company would be moving to a new office building as the lease in the old building would expire by September. When the office relocation task force finally revealed the location of our new office, I was thrilled as there's a gym in the same building. I vowed that I must start working out again.

We started work in the new office building this week and by the 2nd day, I had already signed up with the gym with two colleagues. It was a pretty decent deal, similar to what I paid in Fitness First three years ago but the facilities in this gym is so much better. We were given six complimentary personal training sessions to familiarize ourselves with the equipments and I attended my first session few days ago. Gosh! After being sedentary for more than two years, I could really feel that my muscles are not as strong. I was expecting to have generalized body ache but to my surprise, I was completely fine. I was tempted to sign up for a proper personal training program but after paying a bomb for the gym membership, I'm reluctant to fork out more money. I hope to get as much pointers as I could in the six complimentary sessions to at least be more effective with my time in the gym. I really look forward to working out again, and regain some measure of fitness and stamina. Hopefully I won't quit half-way.

Short-term loans

Dad didn't earn much as a clerk in a mining company. When he left the company after the collapse of the mining industry in the 1990s, his last drawn pay was less than RM1,000. With his meager salary, he had to feed his mother, wife and four young children. Luckily most of the basic necessities were provided for by the company. We lived in staff quarters where water and electricity was provided so dad needn't have to spend on utilities bill, except for the telephone.

To help its employees get by, dad's company had an interesting practice whereby the staff was given cash advance of their salary in the middle of the month, normally amounting to half-month salary. At the end of the month, they would be given the other half. This helped the generally low income workers to get by. I see a similarity between this practice and the modern Payday loans.  Payday loans are short-term loans ranging from $100 - $1500 and application is done through the internet. The advantages of an internet loan are that the process can be done securely and anonymously from one's home and the loan process is often completed faster. If approved, the loan amount is sent overnight via wire into the applicant’s checking or savings account.

It's relatively easy to have the loan approved. Employed people with a minimum monthly pay of $1000 and have an active checking or saving account will qualify. The loan term on Payday loans typically ranges from 4 to 30 days, coinciding with the applicant’s next payday from his or her employer. This is a viable solution for people needing emergency cash. However, one must be disciplined to pay off the loan when payday comes. Otherwise, the interest incurred on the outstanding balance may get one deeper and deeper into debt.

To celebrate or not to celebrate?

Yiu Yiu will celebrate her 2nd birthday on November 1. Hubby and I have been contemplating whether or not to organize a party for her. Her 1st birthday was only a small do with family members and several close friends, as dad had just passed away then. The other reason is that we moved into our current house in February but we've not had any house warming party. Many friends and colleagues have also commented that they’ve never visited our home.

If we do go ahead, we'll probably do it on the last weekend of October, as hubby will be away in Shanghai for several days beginning November 1. I've just got two caterers to give me their menu and price list, and if we really go ahead, I have to hunt for someone to bake a nice cake, and perhaps a clown to keep the children entertained as well. Not sure if I want to go through all this hassle. But the biggest question in my mind is, is two weeks too short a notice for people to attend the bash?

Amsterdam in passing

Amsterdam gets its name from the Amstel River and the dam that blocked it at the present day Dam Square. The city was officially founded in 1275 after the residents living near the Amstel dam were granted toll freedom – meaning they didn’t have to pay tolls as they navigated the waterways of Holland. Amsterdam itself has over 90 islands (polders, flat land created from what used to be water by pumping out the water), 160 canals (grachts), over 1200 bridges, and a population of approximately 750,000 people. Almost all of what makes up Amsterdam today was completely underwater 700 years ago.

Netherlands is the official name of the country. Holland is the name of the province of which Amsterdam is the capital. It united with other provinces as a country to fight Spain in 1579. With Amsterdam at its centre, Holland was the most important region in the newly formed country and remained the informal name of the country.

Over 20% of Netherlands is below sea level and much of the land has been reclaimed from the sea, hence the name Netherlands, or the "Low Countries". Over the centuries the innovative and industrious Dutch people have sectioned off land with dikes and have used windmills to pump water out of low lying areas, creating farmland where there was previously only water.

Many of the 17th century waterfront warehouses and gabled merchants' dwelling have been converted into residences. Equally distinctive are the houseboats with their flowerpots, pets and washing lines, one of the most recognizable sights of Amsterdam.

A houseboat moored in front of canal houses

The slanting houses of Amsterdam

Amsterdam is also known as the City of Bikes, since there are over one million on the streets today. The typical bike in Amsterdam is called an Oma-Fiets (Granny Bike). There is no need for mountain bikes as there are no mountains in the Netherlands, and if you had one, it would likely be stolen within 24 hours. Bikes here are so old and rusty because of rampant bike theft. The rule of thumb is to spend more on a lock than the bike itself.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and prostitutes in Amsterdam's Red Light District work in clean premises, pay taxes, receive regular medical checks, are eligible for welfare, and even have their own trade union. Pot smoking is also legal and acceptable in Amsterdam. Coffeeshops, establishments in which hashish and marijuana are sold can be found in many streets of Amsterdam.

Clockwise from top left: A granny bike, preparing hashish outside a coffeeshop, magnets of Amsterdam

Car vacuum

Even though we live in a landed property, hubby and I are just too lazy to wash our cars ourselves. There's a car wash just three minutes drive away from our house so hubby always send our cars there for washing. Moreover, the owner offers a 5+1 package, which means, for every five washes, you get one free. The best part is that the offer does not go on a per car basis. So hubby can take both his and my car for washing and we get the 6th wash free.

Sometimes however, all I need is just to clean the interiors from all the sand, pebbles and what-have-you that gets into the car, and also food crumbs courtesy of my little darling. Whenever my car needs vacuuming, I'll just use the normal vacuum cleaner we use for the house but it's such a chore navigating the bulky equipment inside the narrow confines of the car. That's when I wished we have a car vacuum like the one below.

Perhaps I should consider buying this for hubby for the festive season. That's a conniving way to get something for myself in the disguise of buying gifts for him.

23-month old

What difference does two weeks make? When I went to the babysitter's house after I came back from Paris last Thursday, Yiu Yiu was taking her nap. I was a little disappointed as I had wanted to see her before going to work. I chatted with the babysitter for a short while as I passed her the pralines I bought in Brussles. A couple of seconds later, we heard Yiu Yiu calling from inside the room, "Mummy mummy". She had heard us, and quickly woke up from her nap. The babysitter went into the room and carried her out, and I was surprised at how different she seemed to look. It might be because she had just woken but she looked, well, a little more mature. She's almost two anyway, so perhaps it's time she loses her babyish look.

Her physical development is pretty similar to last month. What amazes me most the last few days is her much expanded vocabulary. She knows a whole lot more words, be it in English, Mandarin or Cantonese compared to when I left for Amsterdam. She is also repeating words after us, even multi-syllabic ones, like a pro. I hope she can soon string together simple sentences and hold simple conversations. I think I'm gonna have loads of fun when she can do that.

Hubby also told me that while I was away, she seemed to be going through a growth spurt, and was constantly asking for milk. She's feeding well on solids, and has recently acquired a taste for cultured milk drink, which she didn't like before.

I'm hoping to also take this opportunity to wean her from breastfeeding. While I was away, hubby reported that she didn't look for her nen-nen and happily took the milk he offered her in the bottle. She even seemed to sleep better when I was away and she could sleep throughout the night, unlike when I'm around where more often than not, she'll stir in the middle of the night and look for her fix. The last few nights, she woke up few times and asked for nen-nen and I tried not to give in but simply carried and rocked her back to sleep. She didn’t fuss all that much and went back to slumberland quite quickly. During the weekend, when she asked for nen-nen, we distracted her with something else – a toy, snacks, etc and she quickly forgot about her nen-nen. She only suckled twice over the last few days so I hope I'll succeed this round.

One festivity after another

Time really flies. We are already in the month of October and before we know it, the brand new 2008 will be upon us. In many parts of the world, year end is always a time of festivities. In the Western countries, the festivity begins with Halloween on October 31, followed by Thanksgiving on November 22, culminating in Christmas on December 25 before ending it with a big bang with New Year's countdown on the last day of the year.

Over here in Malaysia, we also have our own festivities to keep everyone in the festive mood. The holy month of Ramadan when the Muslims fast from dawn to dusk ends on October 12, with Hari Raya Aidilfitri marking the end of the fasting period of Ramadan. Less than a month after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the Hindu community will celebrate the victory of good over evil during the Divali festival. Hari Raya Aidiladha will follow on December 20, just a few days before Christmas and New Year. So it's one festivity after another.

Customarily, "open houses" will be held during these cultural and religious festivals. Unique to Malaysia, the "open house" concept is such that friends and families would visit the homes of those who are celebrating the festival, to wish them well and enjoy the feast prepared by their hosts. And when visiting "open houses" it's always polite to bring a gift to the host. With the advent of the internet, I have endless options in choosing an appropriate gift, even when it's not locally available. I can purchase a unique set of crystal fruit collection using The Paragon coupon, or a Seven Habits planner with Franklin Covey deals for a colleague who's into the Seven Habits. All these deals are possible thanks to Coupon Chief, a coupon deal and discount resource website.

Bad start to a brand new week

I was just two minutes away from my office at Menara Merais. As I was making a right turn into the narrow lane in the residential area, I saw this red Toyota Vios coming out from the lane. The lane would be too narrow to accommodate two cars so I stopped in my track, though I was in the middle of the main road, to let her pass. I could clearly see that she was holding her mobile phone in one hand while trying to maneuver the steering wheel with the other hand. As she approached, I could see that she her car was getting closer and closer to mine and I knew the inevitable would happen, and it did. The front bumper of the Vios hit my front bumper.

The driver of the Vios reversed her car, turned back into the narrow lane and stopped behind my car. A young girl in t-shirt and shorts, she was apologetic and said she lived just around the corner. We inspected our cars and luckily, both only had minor dentations and scratches. After exchanging phone numbers and taking photos of the damaged parts, she left with the promise of reimbursing my repair costs. What a bad way to start the week - my first accident since I owned this car in April last year. And here's the damage to my car, and a sketch of where the accident took place.